Encounter the Marvels

Day 1: Yangon arrival and Sightseeing

Mingalarbar!

Upon your arrival at Yangon International Airport, our experienced guide with a wealth of knowledge on Myanmar will welcome you. On your very first day in Myanmar, begin exploring in the heart of Yangon, Sule Pagoda, which is one of the landmarks of Yangon, very close to Yangon City Hall and Immanuel Baptist Church. Sule Pagoda is also surrounded by colonial style buildings where you can also observe the daily activities of local people coming to worship before their busy schedules. After an hour, take a 30-min ride to Shwedagon Pagoda, a wonder of the religious world, noted for its size, height, artistry and colourful history. No visit to Myanmar is complete without a visit to the 2,500-year-old Shwedagon Pagoda, which enshrines strands of Buddha's hair and other holy relics. It forms the focus of religious as well as community activities with the bustles of devotees and monks performing rites, paying obeisance to Buddha, offering flowers and lights, worshiping, and meditating – as they have been doing for thousands of years. Lose yourself in the mesmerizing ancient environ and immerse in history in action. You can also hear the chanting and praying at Stupas by nuns and local communities. After completing trips to these places, your guide will take you to your hotel to check in and enjoy a full-night rest to regain energy for the morning flight to Mandalay..

Day 2: Yangon – Bagan (flight) and visit in Bagan

After breakfast, our guide will meet you in hotel lobby and transfer to Yangon domestic airport to fly to Bagan (approximately 1 hour 20 minute). As soon as we reach Bagan, our station guide in Bagan will welcome and take you on a guided tour around the ancient Bagan with the highlights of historic Pagodas and temples; Shwezegon the prototype for later Myanmar pagodas built by King Anawyethta,  Ananda temple - a master piece of King Kyansittha,  Thatbyinnyu temple - the highest building in the Bagan plain, Dhamma Yangyi temple – an absolutely massive temple. After lunch, you will learn more about the local culture with a visit to two workshops producing Bagan's most famous products: lacquerware and wood crafts. Watch as the skilled craftsmen use techniques passed down through generations to create beautiful items. In the evening, watch the sunset view at Nyaung Lett Phet view mount (or) Sulamani Kan View mount and you will definitely be amazed by the beauty of Bagan while you watch the sun slowly set behind the ancient Pagodas.  We then transfer to hotel and enjoy your night at hotel in Bagan.

Day 3: Explore to Salay and Ma Gyi Kan Village

After breakfast at the hotel, your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby and take a short trip approximately 1 hour out of Bagan to Ma Gyi Kan Village (Tamarind Lake Village Homes), as part of Community Based Tourism, located in Salay Town, Chauk Township. On arrival, be welcome by the local community guide and villagers. Delicious lunch cooked at a local family’s home will be served. After that you will have a chance to enjoy the agricultural sceneries (paddy, peanut and etc.), local traditional activities (riding bullock cart (oxen cart) around the village), other activities (e.g. traditional dance performed by local communities or cooking class as an optional, bicycle (FOC), learn the culture of the people of Ma Gyi Kan village and also taste local product food (Motte Pyar Tha Let which is Myanmar pancakes filled with chickpeas and coriander). You will certainly discover the idyllic life of Ma Gyi Kan villagers and have memorable experiences. Continue to visit Yokesone Monastery,which is 130-year-old and famous for its wooden monastery hall, built on 154 teak posts in Salay and then return to Bagan. Enjoy your night at a hotel in Bagan.

Day 4: Bagan – Heho (Flight), Nyaung Shwe - Inle Lake

After breakfast at hotel, your guide will meet you in hotel lobby and transfer to the airport for a flight to Heho (approximately 30 min). Upon arrival in Heho, our station guide from Nyaung Shwe will meet you at the airport and drive to Nyaung Shwe (approximately 1 hour). On the way, visit Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery which is conspicuous for its red-painted teak building built in the 19th century. Inside it is covered with carved wooden bas-reliefs decorated with colorful glass mosaics and gold paint. We then visit Red Mountain Winery for enjoying the enchanting sunset view. Afterwards, transfer to hotel and enjoy your night on Inle Lake.

Day 5: Sightseeing in Inle Lake   

After Breakfast at the hotel, our stationed guide will meet you at hotel lobby and drive to Bagan An excursion by boat on Inle Lake will include sights of the famous leg rowers, typical floating gardens, local methods of fishing and village life. Visit Phaungdaw Oo Pagoda where the pagoda festival is held every year in Oct. In the pagoda festival, people place the four Buddha Images on the Royal Catamaran which has been designed as a Hintha, a mythical bird. Three images are later taken on a tour around the lake to be revered with one image always left at the Pagoda. In 1960s, all five Buddha Images were placed on the Barge in order to be taken on a tour around Inle Lake when suddenly strong winds blew and enormous waves appeared. The Barge overturned as a result and the images dropped into the lake. Four images were recovered and one was lost but back at the pagoda, the missing one was sitting there miraculously at its place. So, it was taken as a sign of the image’s reluctance to go on a tour and, to avoid untoward events, nowadays, only four images were taken on a lake procession of boats and an image is always left at the pagoda. From the pagoda, we will proceed to the weaving village of Inpaw Khon, famous for its weaving workshops and products of multi-colored fabrics on looms made from bamboo poles lashed together with rope, Nampan village- famous for cheroot (traditional cigarette) factories and traditional blacksmith workshop which is located in Se-khong village, produces knives and farming tools. After visiting those places of interest, transfer to hotel for check-in and enjoy your night in Inle Lake.

Day 6: Heho – Kyaing Tong (flight) and visit city tour

After breakfast, our guide will meet you in hotel lobby and transfer to Heho domestic airport fly to Kyaing Tong (approximately 2 hour 10 minutes) and our local guide will accompany you.

Nowadays, Kyaing Tong rivals other regions of Myanmar offering some of the most beautiful sceneries in the country. Explore the downtown area that boasts such places of interest as the Idyllic Naung Tong Lake, continue visit Standing Buddha image, and One Tree Hill (Thit Ta Bin Taung in Burmese), where you will find a gigantic solitary 250-year-old tree with a nice view of the area up there and transfer to hotel for check-in and enjoy your night at the hotel in Kyaing Tong.

Day 7: Kyaing Tong – Hokyin Akha villages

After breakfast, our guide will meet you in hotel lobby and start to explore Akha villages, one of many ethnic groups in Myanmar. The adventure passes through several Akha (Hokyin) villages where you can observe the rich culture and timeless traditions of the Akha people. It will take more than half a day and it will takes approximate one hour more or less by car to reach Pankwai from Kyaing Tong, the starting point of the trek. Afterwards, drive back to hotel and enjoy your night in Kyaing Tong.

Day 8: Trekking Pin Tauk & Wanpin villages

After breakfast at the hotel, our guide will meet in hotel lobby and explore the villages of the ethnic tribes, Akha, Eng and Lahu in the area of Pin Tauk, Wanpin. More than a half day trip and about half an hour drive from the hotel to Wanpin, a starting point to walk for 3 or 5 villages of the above mentioned tribes, the villages and the resident tribes are famous for their traditional clothes and head dresses. The scenery pristine and stunning – untouched by modernity. Lunch boxes will be prepared for the trek. Time-permitting, nearby Wan Pauk Palaung village will be explored. Drive back to the hotel and enjoy your night in Kyaing Tong.

Day 9: Kyaing Tong – Yangon (flight)

After breakfast, our guide will meet you in hotel lobby and explore the bustling and colorful local market of Kyaing Tong. Here, you can see various hill tribes converge to buy and sell their wares. It is a fascinating place to soak up the local atmosphere and capture colorful photos. If time allows, visit the pottery village Yan Gone to check out the handcrafted earthen pots of the Shan tribe. After that, we will proceed to domestic airport to fly back to Yangon. Arrives at Yangon, transfer to hotel for enjoy your night .

Day 10:  Departure  

After breakfast at hotel, our stationed guide in Yangon will meet you in hotel lobby and transfer to airport for your departure flight.